Thursday March 18, 2010
No Mention of Abortion in Health Bill “Fix” Package
By Kathleen Gilbert
WASHINGTON, DC, March 18, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The health care reconciliation “fix” package, which was posted on the House Rules Committee website Thursday afternoon, makes no mention of abortion, dashing any remaining hopes that the legislation that the House votes on will not include a vast expansion of abortion funding.
Most analysts had predicted that the “fix” bill would not give in to the demands of pro-life representatives, most notably Rep. Bart Stupak, who have demanded that Hyde-like language be included in the bill. Some, however, had said that they were expecting a last-minute fix that would put up a wall against the abortion-funding embedded in the Senate health care bill.
The Catholic Health Association (CHA), whose endorsement of the bill earlier this week was welcomed with open arms by the Obama administration, had excused their support for the abortion-expanding bill by expressing hope for an abortion “fix” in the reconciliation measure.
In a scheme devised by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Democrat leaders may hold a vote on the reconciliation package in the House, and, should it succeed, the House will simply “deem” the Senate health bill passed – thus possibly coaxing support from wary Democrats by avoiding a direct vote on the bill.
Leaders now hope to hold a vote by Sunday, although President Obama has already postponed a planned trip overseas that day to see the health care debate to the end.
Read the reconciliation bill here.